Synopsis:
The Ad Council, in partnership with US Department of Health and Human Services’ Children’s Bureau, AdoptUSKids and creative agency KBS, launched a new integrated campaign encouraging adoption of teens from foster care called “What To Expect When You’re Expecting…. A Teenager.”
An evolution of the ‘Adoption from Foster Care’ award-winning “you don’t have to be perfect to be a perfect parent” execution, AdCouncil’s latest campaign leverages the iconic pregnancy guide, What To Expect When You’re Expecting, to reassure prospective parents that they don’t need to know it all to be a perfect parent to a teenager - they just need to be there.
KBS collaborated with the authors and illustrator of What to Expect When You’re Expecting on the campaign, which includes TV, out-of-home, print and digital. A Facebook live Q&A will also take place on AdoptUSKids’ Facebook Page to enable Kathy Ledsema, National Project Director for AdoptUSKids, as well as an adoptive mother and her teen son, to share their stories and experiences with potential adoptive parents.
The campaign’s TV spots and Digital videos feature well-intentioned moms and dads attempting to give new parents of teens step-by-step parenting tutorials in the distinctive What To Expect When You’re Expecting tone – namely how to wake up your teen and how to teen-proof your home.
The print, digital, and out-of-home executions parody the original book cover and illustrations by humorously showing common scenarios parents can expect when adopting a teen (like confusing text messages, binge-watching and prom-posals).
The campaign concludes with its tagline sentiment, “You don’t have to know it all to be a perfect parent.”
For more information about adoption, or about becoming an adoptive parent to a child from foster care, please visit adoptuskids.org or visit the AdoptUSKids social communities on Facebook and Twitter.
Since the project’s launch in 2003, more than 28,000 children who were once photo listed on AdoptUSKids have been placed with permanent families.
Ad Council Quote: “The many thousands of teens in foster care are there at no fault of their own and are just as in need of family as anyone,” said Lisa Sherman, president and CEO of the Ad Council. “This project has already helped more than 28,000 youth find their forever families and experience the many milestones teens first encounter. We hope that this new work inspires prospective parents to consider adopting teens from foster care and become the pillar of stability and love every teen needs.”
KBS Quote: “One of the barriers to adopting a teen is that you don’t know what you are getting in to— much like having a baby. But unlike having a baby, there is no guidebook. So we used the conceit of “what to expect when you’re expecting - the go-to-guide for millions to help prospective parents understand that they don’t need all the answers to be a perfect parent. And luckily the authors of "What to Expect" were so passionate about this cause and willing to partner with us. We’re hoping this new take on the Perfect Parent campaign will bring AdoptUSKids even more awareness and lead to even more adoptions from foster care.”

The Print Ad titled What To Expect When You’re Expecting…. A Teenager. 4 was done by kbs+p New York advertising agency for brand: AdoptUSKids in United States. It was released in the Sep 2017.